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Semira
Semira is a Vampire who appears in Underworld: Blood Wars. She is the leader of the Eastern Coven following the Purges and the decimation of the Antigen Lycans by Selene. She is a fiercely ambitious Vampire and the main female antagonist of Underworld: Blood Wars, portrayed by Lara Pulver. Background Semira was turned by Viktor sometime before 1402 and was originally part of the Budapest Coven. Around the time that the Vampires lost Castle Corvinus and Selene was turned, Semira was sent to the Nordic Coven; however, despite her time within the Coven, she disagreed with their more peaceful ways. Prior to being sent to the Nordic Coven, she was Viktor's regent in the Budapest Coven. She later left the Nordic Coven of her own volition. Despite no longer holding Viktor's affections the way she once had, her loyalty to him remained; she was still under his command at least until the late 1980s or early 1990s as it was Semira and her troops that were sent to the Nordic Coven to investigate when Viktor (or possibly Kraven on Viktor's behalf) grew suspicious of Amelia's strange absence from Vampire society. However, by the time that Semira arrived at the Nordic Coven's stronghold, Amelia had already left (as had Thomas and his and Amelia's infant son, David) and returned to the Eastern Coven. At some point Semira joined the Eastern Coven and rose through the ranks of the Coven, ultimately leading the Coven and joining the Elite Council. ''Underworld: Blood Wars'' Semira is the Head of the House of the Eastern Coven and has recently been appointed to the Elite Council. Prior to the events of the film the Coven has been pursuing Selene in order to punish her for her part in the deaths of the Vampire Elders Viktor and Marcus Corvinus. When Thomas arrives at the Eastern Coven's Castle, in response to a summons, Semira requests a private meeting. She convinces Thomas the he should, with her support, petition the council for Selene to be offered clemency in exchange for her training the Coven's inexperienced Death Dealers. Thomas agrees to her plan, unaware that Semira has other plans in mind for Selene. Selene is granted clemency on the condition that Semira will be held personally responsible for Selene and her actions while she is in the castle. Upon Selene and David's arrival at the the the Eastern Coven's castle Semira hosts a grand reception in their honour, all the while flirting with an uninterested David. At this point Semira and the leader of the Coven's Death Dealers, Varga, are revealed to be lovers. Once Selene begins to train the young Death Dealer recruits Semira instructs Varga to challenge Selene to a sparring match in order to poison her with nightshade using a hidden knife. Selene is quickly paralysed by the substance, as she lays on the floor of the training cage Semira appears and asks Selene if she really thought that Semira would let het get away with killing Viktor. Semira also reminds Varga that he has orders; he proceeds to kill the other Death Dealers who are present at the training session with UV bullets. When the massacre of the Death Dealer recruits is discovered by the rest of the Council Semira instantly frames Selene, only for Cassius to order Semira and Varga to capture Selene alive for her crimes. However, Semira and Varga have already placed Selene in a bloodletting machine, hidden away in Semira private quarters, a machine that might well kill her before they can bring her to Cassius. As they return to their captive Semira and Varga discover that Thomas and David have beaten them there and are in the process of freeing Selene. A fight between Thomas, Varga and Semira ensues; it ends with Semira killing Thomas by stabbing him through the back of the head and then taunting David that he can't escape without being killed by the sunlight. To Semira's shock, David is able to jump out of the window and run with Selene to safety without harm. Semira is stunned to realize that David and Selene possess the ability to "daywalk." Semira resolves to send Alexia after Selene and David; she is to follow them and confirm that they have gone to the Nordic Coven before reporting back so that troops may then be sent after them. Alexia comments on Semira speaking of the Nordic Coven as though it were a real place, rather than a myth. Semira remarks that where did Alexia think that she was when Viktor was wasting his time on Selene? Semira also makes her disdain for the Nordic Coven and their peaceful ways abundantly clear. While Alexia is completing her mission Semira begins to prepare to drink Selene's blood, only to find that Varga used more of the Nightshade extract than instructed and that Selene's blood is still not safe to consume. Upon Alexia's return, Semira admits that Alexia has done more than she thought possible. Semira is aware that Alexia has taken the Lycan leader, Marius, as a lover and that they have been plotting against her. Semira kisses Alexia, distracting her from the concealed blade that Semira uses to slit her throat. Once Selene's blood has been sufficiently purified Semira adds the blood to a goblet of water and drinks it, transforming into a Vampire-Corvinus Strain Hybrid. David soon returns to the Eastern Coven's castle, conveniently as Semira is attempting to stage a coup and remove the rest of the Council from power, at which point David reveals himself to be the son of the Vampire Elder Amelia and therefore the pure-blooded heir to the Eastern Coven. Semira argues that his heritage is irrelevant as she has the support of the Death Dealers. She is quickly proven wrong when Varga defies her orders and refuses to kill David, instead having Semira arrested and stripped of her titles and power. As Semira is being escorted to the dungeons, Marius' Lycan horde attacks the castle. Her guards stop in the middle of a hallway, not realising that Semira has noticed the swords displayed on the wall above them. She escapes and manages to find David, waylaying him as he attempts to follow Selene in order to help her fight Marius. Semira and David battle each other, with Semira's new Hybrid powers allowing her to match David's power and her centuries of fighting experience giving her the edge in combat. Finally, David throws a blade into the controls to the shutters on Semira's wall, raising them and exposing her to sunlight. Discovering that she now has an immunity to UV light as a Hybrid, Semira enjoys the sunlight, distracting her for a crucial moment. As she's distracted, David comes up behind Semira and stabs her through the back of her head and out her mouth, the blow mimicking the way in which Semira murdered his father. However, David does not examine her body to check if she is actually dead; consequently, given her age and Hybrid nature it is possible that she may have survived the wound (just as Viktor survived a similar wound). Personality Semira is described as being fierce and incredibly ambitious. She displays intense loyalty to Viktor along with a level of coldness, ruthlessness and cruelty that he may very well have admired. She is an intelligent and manipulative woman, but suffers from excessive pride and arrogance, which are are her undoing. Despite being a member of the Eastern Coven's Elite Council she seems to be a warrior at heart. At one point Alexia states that Semira's desire for power is growing more insane everyday. Semira, in spite of her close bond with Viktor, comes to view the Vampire obsession with 'purity' as being a weakness that holds them back; although she despises Lycans, she herself admits that she admires their ability to evolve and adapt. As a result, she seeks to 'evolve' as well, becoming a Vampire-Corvinus Strain Hybrid to increase her strength and power. However, her desire for this power proves to be her undoing: seeing proof of her new power in the form of her new UV immunity she allowed herself to be distracted for a crucial moment in battle which leads to David landing a potentially fatal blow. Relationships Varga Semira and one of the Eastern Coven's Death Dealers, Varga, are lovers. Their relationship seems to be based upon lust and convenience rather than actual feelings. Semira is often unpleasant to Varga and rarely treats him well; she is clearly the dominant one in the relationship and expects Varga to obey her without question, regardless of her behaviour towards him. This results in him betraying her when the opportunity arises, which genuinely shocks and angers her. However, her anger at Varga for his betrayal is still less than her dislike for David. Viktor Viktor was Semira's sire and she seems to have been a particular favourite and trusted lieutenant of his. Given her resemblance to both Selene and Sonja (although the latter two bare more resemblance to each other than Semira does to either of them) it is possible that Viktor saw her as something of a protegé. No matter the nature of their relationship, Semira displays an intense loyalty to Viktor, even after being dismissed by him centuries earlier, going so far as to attempt to avenge his death. Selene Semira appears to harbour a deep seated jealously and later an intense hatred of Selene, stemming from Selene replacing her as Viktor's favoured progeny. This is furthered upon Selene killing Viktor. Despite Selene's reasons for killing Viktor, Semira's anger still results in her attempting to kill Selene to avenge Viktor's death. David Initially Semira is intrigued by David, seemingly as a result of knowing that he was brought back from the dead by Selene's blood. Attracted to him, she attempts to flirt with him, clearly hoping to seduce him. David does not reciprocate this attraction. However, her lust is quickly replaced with scorn once David is revealed to be the son of Amelia and the heir to the Eastern Coven. Semira appears to take this news as some kind of personal insult, going so far as to escape custody in order to try and kill him. Ultimately, David may have been the one to kill Semira. Thomas Thomas and Semira appear to be well acquainted with one another, even going to far as to hug when they greet each other (only appears in the graphic novel). They seem to know each other well enough to know the way in which the other thinks; Thomas very quickly calls Semira out on her melodramatic tendencies, asking that she hurry up and tell him her plan, as he is aware that she always has one. Semira also seems to be one of the only people to have taken note of Thomas and Amelia's affection for one another, despite being shocked when Amelia is revealed to be David's mother. Powers and Abilities As a Vampire, Semira possessed all of the regular powers of one with her abilities being enhanced upon her transformation into a Vampire-Corvinus Strain Hybrid. *'Weapons Mastery/expert combatant': Semira is shown to have a mastery of weapons, particularly swords. She is also an expert fighter, able to defeat Thomas, an older Vampire in a fight and to nearly win a fight against David who has more experience with his Hybrid abilities, only losing the fight because she allows herself to become distracted. *'Superhuman Speed': As a Vampire, Semira had a superhuman speed. This speed was only enhanced by her transformation into a Vampire-Corvinus Strain Hybrid. *'Superhuman Strength': As a Vampire, Semira possessed great strength, able to fight older Vampire Thomas with relative ease. Her strength was increased by her transformation into a Vampire-Corvinus Strain Hybrid, allowing her to go toe-to-toe with David who was also a Vampire-Corvinus Strain Hybrid. *'UV Immunity': After being transformed into a Vampire-Corvinus Strain Hybrid, Semira gained an immunity to UV light. Quotes * "She's become a new breed" Trivia * Her name appears to either be a feminine derivative form of the name ‘Samir’, meaning ‘companion in evening conversation’ or a diminutive form of ‘Semiramide’ which is in turn an adaptation of ‘Semiramis’. Semiramis is a figure from Ancient Greek literature who may have been based on Sammuramat/Shammuramat who may have been the regent Queen of the Assyrian Empire – some accounts also link her with various mythological figures (some even suggest that Semiramis was in fact a demi-goddess) such as the goddess Astarte. Sammuramat was able to provide the Assyrian Empire with stability following a civil war, though some scholars suggest that she seized power for herself following her husband’s death, despite the illegality of such an action.“Semiramis” at the Ancient History EncyclopediaBehind the Name: Semira * With the possible exception of members of the more isolationist Nordic Coven, following the Purges Semira is likely one of the oldest Vampires still in existence. * Semira is one of the few Vampires who would've known the truth about the origins of the Vampire and Lycan species, having survived both the events of Underworld: Rise of the Lycans and the destruction of Ördögház. * Given her connection to Viktor and her age, Semira may have been one of the original Death Dealers or, at one point, one of Viktor's Elite Death Dealers. * Semira is shown to be surprised by David and Selene's ability to daywalk despite knowing of their nature as carriers of the Corvinus Strain. She was also intrigued by Selene's ability to resurrect dead Vampires as Vampire-Corvinus Strain Hybrids as shown when she discussed David's resurrection with Thomas. References Gallery UBW Semira.jpg|Semira with a goblet of Selene’s blood Blood Wars coven.jpg|Semira and her coven Blood Wars Semira transforming.jpg|Semira transforming Blood Wars coup.jpg|Semira staging a coup Semira with sword.jpg Semira2.jpg Semira and council.jpg Card game Semira.jpg|Semira in Underworld card game Big startfilmru1330514.jpg|Semira with a goblet of Selene's blood fr:Semira ru:Семира Category:Characters Category:Vampires Category:Blood Wars characters Category:Female characters Category:Antagonists Category:Deceased Category:Hybrids Category:Vampire Council members Category:Card game characters Category:Featured articles